My Bio and This Blog's Purpose

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The title is from the December 2013 edition of Railfan & Railroad Magazine's Capitol Lines column written by Wes Vernon. The column was based on last year's Passenger Trains on Freight Railroads Conference where four panelists involved in the railroad industry gave their visions on the future of passenger rail in America. The panelists were railroad attorney John Heffner, All Aboard Florida's Gene Skoropowksi (formerly of California's Capitol Corridor), Iowa Pacific's Ed Ellis, and Amtrak VP for Governments and Corporate Communications Joe McHugh.

"More cohesion instead of the piecemeal routings here and there. The entire picture is likely less monolithic or under one entity known as Amtrak." (Heffner)

Vernon interjected by suggesting that Amtrak remains "the 'spine' of intercity operations." Even with the failed attempt to leverage intercity and commuter rail back towards an Amtrak monopoly, "business as usual" can no longer be considered good enough for travelers.Regarding PRIIA, Vernon looked at the possibility of states looking to private operators if they can't find alternative public funding, which in turn could lead Amtrak to using more of its equipment on longer routes. Once those PRIIA extensions that were signed last year expire, the states should make aserious effort to talk to other operators to reduce the cost of running their corridors. As far as the equipment goes, I have been a huge advocate of Amtrak keeping its equipment in the event states look elsewhere so that it can spread to other parts of the country.

Heffner says that there is no end to potential nationwide expansion, possibly a combination of Amtrak and non-Amtrak operators, some under contract to state or regional government agencies. It may be freight railroads, perhaps short lines or regionals deciding to just run their own passenger service. (Vernon)

There can be no end to expansion because America still has a skeletal system and other various other entities could be the key to reviving the national network.

The dream scenario leaves Amtrak as (again) the operator of most, if not all, long-distance trains. On the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak would remain the only operator other than the commuter lines. (Vernon)

A dream for who? Maybe that's a True Believer's dream scenario but as long as the current people (board and management alike) continue to run Amtrak, this is much closer to my Nightmare Scenario. President/CEO Joe Boardman and various board members have done nothing to advance long-distance trains. If anything, they're either willing to keep the status quo or see the long-distance network shrink by inaction. When Amtrak gets fresh blood who just won't have a dismissive attitude about expansion (i.e., always citing high costs and passing on adding routes) and is willing to consider Western passengers' needs by ordering new equipment, then will I believe that "America's Railroad" is committed to the nation as opposed to just one region.Speaking of that one region, the NEC states' political bloc will likely use their clout to keep out anyone who may want to take on Amtrak.Vernon cited how the shortlines are trying to get into the passenger business due to limited expansion opportunities for freight in the future.The shortlines are proactive while the big boy railroads are reactive. The Class I railroads are focused on their specific needs and have to be goaded into dealing with passenger service (see Amtrak throwing in the towel on talking to CSX about converting the Cardinal to daily service as just one example).The shortlines could also play the role of saviors when it comes to routes/segments/towns that are abandoned by Amtrak.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Take: It would have helped if a) Amtrak hadn't eliminated its last Boston-based Inland route over nine years ago and b) if a second Albany-Boston frequency were already in place.

Troubling news out of Oklahoma

Apparently, the executive branch in Tulsa is dead set on making a fool out of me and anyone else who would like to see more private involvement in passenger rail. Even though trips for three Sapulpa-Oklahoma City runs are sold out, the efforts by Iowa Pacific and Stillwater Central to provide regular service may be for naught as the OKDOT wants to sell part of a state-owned route between the the two cities.Take: If Oklahoma officials sell the line to BNSF and Wescott's worst nightmare comes to pass, then, it'll show how tome deaf the state really is.

Friday, January 10, 2014

The Kelker & DeLeuw Subway Plan is gradually rolled out in 1925 after voters narrowly ignore entrenched interests' opposition. Due to this type of forward thinking, 90% of the subway system is completed by the time mass transit is transferred from the private sector to the public in the 1960s.

Henry Huntington is forced to give up some of his streetcar routes to Southern Pacific so there'd be competition. When all streetcars are handed over to MTA, only the easternmost suburbs see buses supplant routes.

Joseph Strauss continues the Airtram idea is continued after George Rowan's death in 1936--but it's built after World War II. Meanwhile, the Carveyor was built in the 1960s. The People Mover is connected to MTA's plan to serve LAX, which is a lot more architecturally creative and has been the world's busiest airport since the 1984 Summer Olympics.

A reduced monorail system is built until former Mayor Antonio Villarogosa made completing it a part of his 30/10 plan for MTA in 2010.Maglev right of way is in place between Ontario Airport and west Los Angeles but funding is still scarce.

Today’s Likely Outcome

The Subway Plan came to full fruition by the early 1980s--the delay was due to MTA wanting to "spread the wealth" with other transit modes.

The entire streetcar system is nicknamed "Red Cars" in honor of Huntington's Pacific Electric. The Red Cars are very popular--even more popular than San Francisco's cable cars. L.A. is the only U.S. city where rail-based modes provide more transit mileage than buses.

SP's Burbank Branch Line has served streetcars since 1938. Light rail, while a part of the MTA system, is primarily a suburban system.

The second batch of schedules are what could happen if the residents along the affected portion of the Southwest Chief are able to talk to another operator like a shortline or an independent operator. Instead of one train a day in each direction, there will be at least three frequencies because residents between Hutchinson and Albuquerque could also start building the foundation of a Rocky Mountain rail system by proposing Newton-La Junta-Denver and Albuquerque-Trinidad-Denver services and localized Raton Pass runs that would serve fewer cities at more marketable times.

1001

1003

1005

Rocky
Mountain Rail

1002

1004

1006

2:45

10:45

18:45

Newton CT

18:55

2:55

10:55

3:20

11:20

19:20

Hutchinson, KS

18:19

2:19

10:19

5:25

13:25

21:25

Dodge City, KS

16:27

0:27

8:27

6:21

14:21

22:21

Garden City, KS CT

15:17

23:17

7:17

6:59

14:59

22:59

Lamar, CO MT

12:40

20:40

4:40

8:15

16:15

0:15

La Junta, CO

11:41

19:41

3:41

8:20

16:20

0:20

11:36

19:36

3:36

9:40

17:40

1:40

Trinidad, CO

9:39

17:39

1:39

10:46

18:46

2:46

Raton, NM

8:40

16:40

0:40

12:28

20:28

4:28

Las Vegas, NM

6:53

14:53

22:53

14:14

22:14

6:14

Lamy, NM

5:07

13:07

21:07

16:00

24:00

8:00

Albuquerque

3:47

11:47

19:47

16:40

0:40

8:40

Belen MT

3:07

11:07

19:07

I have cut the dwell times in La Junta and Albuquerque to five minutes. As far connections go, #3 to #1001 and #1004 to #4 are guaranteed for anyone traveling between Chicago and Albuquerque. Anyone who wants to travel to Arizona and points west could use #1005, a local Raton Pass run, or a Denver-Albuquerque/Rail Runner combo.

Friday, January 3, 2014

It’s almost time for Congress to take up the next rail
reauthorization bill. Here are my recommendations:

State-Supported Trains

Congress should make it much easier for states to select
other operators by mandating a competitive bidding process. The interest is
clearly there, and these two2011 stories expressed the Association of
Independent Passenger Rail Operators’ interest in running corridors.

Regarding point #8 that NARP laid out in its vision for the
reauthorization bill, if Congress enacts this, then, these 18 states operating
19 corridors will continue paying high costs to Amtrak and leave them
vulnerable to shifting political climates (see WI and OH when it comes to conventional rail--never mind what FL
did to high speed rail).
These corridors shouldn't just be about
Amtrak because there are routes that would be better off operated by someone
else.

I would much rather see the states divided into nine
regions (mostly based on regional pacts like MWHSR) and being protected the way
German state routes are.

Long Distance Routes

Since the Federal Railway Administration failed to do its
job with Section 214, it’s up to Congress to permit some type of competition.
As a matter of fact, Congress should force
the FRA to conduct a pilot program that allows an overnight route to be leased
out to another entity for five years (this route would get enough money to make
it profitable). Congress should also make it much easier for private
organizations to partner with the hosts because if Amtrak is unwilling to add
sufficient equipment or routes to expand the national system, someone else must
be given a shot.

Needed: A National Rail Network

It has been three years since President Obama’s effort at
building a national HSR network collapsed. In its place, calls for “high performance rail” have surfaced.

In that vein, the federal government should conduct a study
on how much it would cost to upgrade the national network via Interstate II (Exhibits
A & B) and rail highways (Exhibits C & D).

Ideally, existing overnight routes would be linked to each
other and to former routes and segments that were abandoned by Amtrak and the
fallen flags of old. This type of overhaul may not be as flashy as a nationwide
high speed rail network, but it would be less costly, connect more travelers,
and serve more people.

A Remedy for the Southwest Chief

Speaking of a national intercity rail network, the feds
should begin the process of building one by
having the FRA or the USDOT take over the 700-mile stretch of the Raton Pass
Route between Newton, KS and Albuquerque, NM in 2016. Whatever agency controls
the route would then upgrade the tracks and have an open bidding process where
freight and passenger entities would be selected to provide service to
customers and residents in KS, CO and NM. Based on space, the Raton Pass Route
would be at least double tracked throughout and even have separate freight and
passenger rights of way.

The shortline company or independent operator that replaces
the Southwest Chief should then be allowed to provide connections in Newton to Amtrak and Belen, NM to Amtrak and Rail Runner trains. It
goes without saying that this new entity would also have more than one
frequency along its route and that Amtrak would then reroute the Southwest
Chief onto BNSF’s Transcontinental Route.